


Hand Talk

by Qem



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Character Study, Gen, Strategy & Tactics, Totally Legitimate Study Methods
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-31
Updated: 2013-07-31
Packaged: 2017-12-22 01:09:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/907109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Qem/pseuds/Qem
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kageyama has a flexible mind when it comes to winning. So after the code words were cracked against Aobajousai High Volleyball Club learning Sugawara’s hand signals is an easy decision to make. The problem is when he decides to expand the vocabulary.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hand Talk

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lucathia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucathia/gifts).



> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVY6xI1GZew  
> Talking hands sure got a lot to say, talking about "go" and talking about "stay"  
> Talking down low or way up high, they can say "hello" and they can say "goodbye"

Kageyama’s father, helps direct his hands into position. Kageyama beams brightly before he lets the basketball rip – it aims precisely through hoop, again and again, no matter how close or far away Tobio is from the hoop.

“Hmm, your aim seems to be quite acceptable.” Is the compliment Tobio receives after.  
Kageyama’s mother can’t remember many other occasions where her overly serious son has looked so happy.

* * *

Kageyama doesn’t even quite remember how he got into volleyball, it was originally a game his father liked to watch but the moment Tobio himself started to enjoy it? He doesn’t remember. But he remembers when he fell in love with being a setter, watching a game from behind. You can see the coordination, the control, the precision, the majesty. It’s everything he wants to be – for who better to trust in controlling the tone of the game than him?

The setter is the one that sets the tone of the game, it requires team work and coordination and the ability to see and think quickly on the court. It’s the most important position; it forms the centre of the match. It’s a position that demands the very best of what you can be, and Kageyama is determined to deliver, with his quick sure hands aiming the ball precisely.

Besides, Kageyama doesn’t believe in playing games purely because you enjoy them. There’s no point in taking it easy either. Slacking forms bad habits. Bad habits can cost you later on. That’s why he always demands perfection – because only perfection can beat the very best and he knows very well that there is a lot of good players out there.

He looks back one day, one terrible and dark day, gripping the bench tightly with his hands and wonders; when did he forget about the coordination part.

* * *

Kageyama didn’t think much of hand signals at first. Sure they’re important in beach volleyball when there are only two people you need to coordinate between.

But when you’re dealing with a larger group, particularly when not everyone is an inclined to be focused on the game as you are, coordination is complicated. It’s easier to just make the decisions himself and judge on the spot as best as he can, rather than relying on potential idiocy from his teammates. There is no one he can trust but himself, no one who has hands that will remain steadier than his own. Besides, his senpai never seemed to require them. Although, perhaps it would have been better if, he and his former team communicated a little more?

You can’t play volleyball by yourself – your hands can’t cover the entire court and when you can’t touch the ball twice, you need someone to be there to accept your plays. And although it sometimes takes a while for the lesson to sink in, Kageyama does learn them well.

* * *

Communication isn’t something that comes to Kageyama easily; interpersonal relationships are he is rather forced to admit, not his forte. That’s part of why he was drawn to sports to begin with he can’t help but feel, with an actual goal. He used to feel that to succeed all that was required was physical prowess and willingness to exert effort – but he knows now that the intangible things like teamwork can make all the difference. There’s no way that Sugawara is technically a better setter than him, yet Kageyama can see now that it was right to swap them out during the game. Communication is the only area that Kageyama will concede that Sugawara has the superior skills in, though.

It might be best to start with the basics, after all given the idiots that he’s dealing with, who likely have even poorer communication skills than himself… 

* * *

He knows that it makes sense to ask Sugawara about the hand signals he’s been using – Hinata’s already used to them, and Kageyama is more confident in his own ability to learn than he is in Hinata’s. Hinata always looks resolute and says “I’ll do it”, but his technique always lags behind his abilities, his athletic litheness is wasted by his lack of real volleyball experience. Also he’s an imbecile.

But before he asks to be taught, he wants to know a little more. Luckily there’s the internet and hand signals from Olympic level games seem to be rather well documented.

Mostly of the women’s games for some reason, but whatever, volley ball’s one of the few sports where the women’s division tends to have more coverage and the only difference between men’s and women’s volleyball is the height of the net and that women’s volleyball tends to favour more defensive styles – but that’s something his team can use to improve themselves with anyway.

* * *

The logic seems to be quite clear, and although Sugawara looks apprehensive when Kageyama approaches him, once the question has been asked, Sugawara relaxes and agrees quite easily to teach him. It’s sensible for them to use the same kind of signals to avoid confusing the other players – it would be illogical to do anything else. Besides Sugawara uses the same common signals that most other volley ball players use, with fingers and direction to indicate the types of serves to be made an approximate location.

Kageyama’s keen to expand their repertoire which Sugawara agreed with, although Sugawara also seemed to blanch a little at the documentation presents to the group. He assumes it’s because Sugawara is not prepared to be as thorough as Kageyama is, but it’s not like that’s anything new. Neither is Hinata’s spluttering is nothing new and Azumane is always bashful outside of the game. It is a little surprising seeing Tanaka gleefully apply himself to theory and strategy instead of just demanding that they hurry up and proceed to actual practice. 

It’s even more surprising when Sawamura, delayed after a discussion with a teacher before coming to practice, comes upon their group discussion, pauses, facepalms with an audible smack, with a sweat dropping Sugawara and advises that while he’s impressed at the amount of study from professional level games Kageyama’s done, those photos may leave a little to be desired with the kind of impression they give to others and the volleyball club is already under careful watch.

"It's not necessarily a bad thing being so dedicated." Sugawara tries to comfort Kageyama - but it's undermined slightly by Tanaka's enthusiastic agreement. Really Kageyama should have remembered, he’s dealing with idiots. 

* * *

"What's this?" Kageyama awkwardly asks as, Hinata tosses a set of glossy photographs.  
"Our own set of pictures of the hand signals, I got someone to take the photographs as I was jumping. The problem with the other set was because they could be misinterpreted right? But if it's of us then there's nothing to worry about."  
Kageyama stares at Hinata and can’t help but laugh.

The thing that Kageyama likes best about Hinata is the way that he’ll resolutely meet your eyes and declare “I’ll do it”, and never gives up on finding a way to counter the problems he faces.

For once Kageyama can feel a fundamental pleasure in looking forward to working with his teammates. He wonders how best he can communicate that point?

**Author's Note:**

> [Insired by ever classy Olympic volleyball coverage](http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nbc-volleyball-bum-hand-signals)


End file.
